The Challenges of Building a Reliable Real-Time Event-Driven Ecosystem
Building a dependable event-driven architecture is by no means an easy feat.
There is an entire array of engineering challenges you will have to face and
decisions you will have to make. Among them, protocol fragmentation and
choosing the right subscription model (client-initiated or server-initiated)
for your specific use case are some of the most pressing things you need to
consider. While traditional REST APIs all use HTTP as the transport and
protocol layer, the situation is much more complex when it comes to
event-driven APIs. You can choose between multiple different protocols.
Options include the simple webhook, the newer WebSub, popular open protocols
such as WebSockets, MQTT or SSE, or even streaming protocols, such as Kafka.
This diversity can be a double-edged sword—on one hand, you aren’t restricted
to only one protocol; on the other hand, you need to select the best one for
your use case, which adds an additional layer of engineering complexity.
Besides choosing a protocol, you also have to think about subscription models:
server-initiated (push-based) or client-initiated (pull-based). Note that some
protocols can be used with both models, while some protocols only support one
of the two subscription approaches. Of course, this brings even more
engineering complexity to the table.
Successful Digital Transformation Requires a Dual-track Approach
This first part of the dual-track approach focuses on the identification and
implementation of new digital tech throughout an organization, while also
working to change cultures and business workflows impacted by the
transformation, according to the report. While this step is critical, it
is also complex and time consuming. The benefits may take time to come to
fruition, which is why many executives are dissatisfied with current
transformation results. Not only are executives impatient, but they don't have
the second part of the dual-track to get them by, the report found. The
second portion is a parallel track that hones in on areas overlooked in
large-scale transformation tactics. These areas include the organization's
ability to quickly connect and modernize hundreds of crucial processes that
cross both business workflows and work groups, according to the report. This
goal can be achieved through rapid-cycle innovation, which encourages business
professionals outside of IT to propose and create new apps for updating
existing workflow processes, with the goal of achieving quick wins for the
company and supporting long-term transformation, the report found.
How deploying new-age technologies has changed the role of leadership amid COVID-19
Circumstances created by a pandemic, such as COVID-19 have been hugely
disruptive and could even render organizations paralytic, if they are far
removed from any understanding of how technology is an imperative and not
optional add on. This is why it is critical to have a proactive mindset to
technology, instead of a reactive approach. Proactive investment in technology
is helping organizations reap maximum benefits as this approach allows leaders
to prepare their people to embrace and become comfortable in using technology,
so that it becomes spontaneously embedded in an organization at a fundamental
level. The investments we proactively made many years ago, whether in secure
virtual platforms or AI driven due diligence processes that help automate how
we finalize our contracts, has helped us seamlessly adapt to working with
minimum disruption. The biggest asset has been the spontaneous comfort level
of our people in adapting to this transformed scenario of working from home,
due to their prior high degree of familiarity with using technology platforms
and processes at work over the past many few years, ensuring our ability to
optimize productivity.
Anatomy of a Breach: Criminal Data Brokers Hit Dave
At the moment, however, some evidence points to ShinyHunters having phished Dave employees. The group has previously advertised - and has been suspected of being behind - the sale of millions of stolen records obtained from Indonesian e-commerce firm Tokopedia, Indian online learning platform Unacademy, Chicago-based meal delivery outfit HomeChef, online printing and photo store ChatBooks, university news site Chronicle.com, as well as Microsoft's private GitHub repositories, according to Baltimore-based security firm ZeroFox. How does ShinyHunters steal so much data? Cyble says that in a post to a hacking forum, a user called "Sheep" says of the Dave breach: "This database was dumped through sending GitHub phishing emails to Dave.com employees. The employees were found by searching for developers in the organization on LinkedIn/Crunchbase/Angel. All of the databases sold by ShinyHunters were obtained through this method. In some cases, [the] same method was used but for GitLab, Slack and Bitbucket."IoT Security: How to Search for Vulnerable Connected Devices
Researchers offer many tools and ways to search for hacker-friendly IoT
devices. The most effective methods have already been tested by botnet
creators. In general, the use of certain vulnerabilities by botnets is the
most reliable criterion for assessing the level of security of IoT devices and
the possibilities of their mass exploitation. Searching for vulnerabilities,
some attackers rely on the firmware (in particular, those errors that were
discovered during firmware analysis using reverse engineering methods). Other
attackers start looking for vulnerabilities searching for the manufacturer’s
name. In any case, for a successful search, some kind of a distinctive
feature of a vulnerable device is needed, and it would be nice to find several
such features. ... There are really many vulnerabilities in IoT devices, but
not all of them are easy to exploit. Some vulnerabilities require a physical
connection, being near or on the same local network. The use of others is
complicated by quick security patches. On the other hand, manufacturers are in
no hurry to patch firmware and often admit it. Getting an accurate list
of vulnerable IoT devices will require significant efforts, it is not just a
one-time query.
Security: This nasty surprise could be waiting for retailers when they open up again
"A lot of retailers, when they come back online, they're going to be focused
on business processes and getting employees back to work. They're not
necessarily thinking, 'maybe I need to update Windows on my computer
terminal', or update POS terminal firmware." In retail, where surges in online
transactions during the pandemic have forced retailers to quickly transform
their ecommerce capabilities, hackers have shifted their focus to make the
most of this opportunity. This includes changing-up well-known types of
attacks by using them in different ways, such as exploiting credit cards
within a different type of merchant platform, and targeting parts of
retailers' systems that might otherwise slip through the cracks. We've already
seen new forms of attacks on retailers take place during the pandemic. In late
June, researchers at security software firm Malwarebytes identified a new
web-skimming attack , whereby cybercriminals concealed malware on ecommerce
sites that would steal information typed into the payment input fields,
including customers' names, address and card details.
Finland government funds work on potential quantum leap
The Finnish government has allocated €20.7m to the venture, which will be run
as an innovation partnership open to international bidding. Closer to home,
VTT-TRCF plans to cooperate with Finnish companies across the IT and
industrial sphere during the various phases of the project’s implementation
and application. The rapid advances in quantum technology and computing have
the potential to provide societies with the tools to overcome major future
problems and challenges, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, that remain out of the
reach of contemporary supercomputers. Quantum technologies have the potential
to complete complex calculations, which currently take days to do, orders of
magnitude quicker. Making calculations that traditional computers are
fundamentally unable to do, if practical, they would mark a leap forward in
computing capability far greater than that from the abacus to a modern
computer. Antti Vasara, the CEO of VTT-TRCF said: “The quantum computers
of the future will be able to accurately model viruses and pharmaceuticals, or
design new materials in a way that is impossible with traditional methods.”
What the CCPA means for content security
Simply installing an ECM system will not yield a secure content ecosystem. If
there is one thing that all ECM experts agree on, it's installing an ECM
system will accomplish nothing aside from consuming resources. People need to
use the system to manage content -- and want to use it -- even after setting
up the necessary security controls to meet the requirements of the CCPA.
Deploying an ECM system that is so secure that people do not want to use it is
a waste of resources. The ECM system does not need to be complicated. Setting
up a secure desktop sync of content is an important first step in ease of use
and adoption. Instead of just rolling it out, companies need to work with each
group using the software first. The business must help users organize their
content and set up a basic structure for storing content so that the system
doesn't become disorganized. Depending on the system that a business is using,
setting up a basic structure may include a basic taxonomy, content types,
standard metadata or a combination of any of these. If a business implements
its ECM system correctly, its largest challenge will be securing mobile
devices and laptops.
How blockchain could play a relevant role in putting Covid-19 behind us
Covid-19 has revealed the weaknesses of global supply chains with countless
reports of PPE issues, a lack of food in impoverished areas, and a breakdown
of business-as-normal, even in places where demand has remained constant.
Trust has always been the keystone of trade. But how can you trust supply
chain partners to deliver in times of widespread failure? Owing to its
decentralised nature, blockchain-based applications create a transparent
ecosystem when you trust — and see — that the mechanisms in place are fair to
all. It can provide instant overviews of entire supply chains to highlight
issues as soon as they arrive. What’s more, it is possible to implement live
failsafes with smart contracts that can ensure the smooth continuation of the
supply chain and remove the very need for trust in the first place. To this
end, the World Economic Forum developed the Blockchain Deployment Toolkit, a
set of high-level guidelines to help companies implement best practices across
blockchain projects – especially those helping solve supply chain issues. They
worked with more than 100 organisations for more than a year, delving into 40
different blockchain use cases, including traceability and automation, to help
guide organisations in their efforts to solve real-world problems with
blockchain.
The growing trend of digitization in commercial banking
“Technology has absolutely been at the forefront of all the changes we have
seen and will see in upcoming years,” explained Rao. Even so, the business of
banking has not changed on a fundamental level. Rather, products have become
more commoditized; similar business products are being offered, but customers
are using them in different ways. In Rao’s words, “the ‘what’ component has
not changed, but the ‘how’ has.” This is where digitization has had the
biggest impact. For example, commercial banking capabilities like making a
payment or collecting a receivable have long been available for corporate
entities. But today, the same capability can be offered in a way that
emphasizes a great user experience—something that hasn’t always been a focal
area in the commercial banking space. ... Large traditional banks are
frequently riddled with outdated legacy systems on the back end of operations,
which dilutes their offerings even with modern digital technology at the front
end. These legacy systems make it costly to create the ideal customer
experience, leading many banks to focus on implementing strategies that pave
the path towards modernization. In certain cases, this means opening up and
modernizing selective pieces of back-end systems to improve operations
overall.
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